Torrey Pines South | The Tiger Challenge

After trying to snag a reservation online for a few weeks prior to my trip in July, I quickly realized that it was going to be near next to impossible to make a tee time in advance. After a quick search on the web for tips and tricks on making a time, I came to the conclusion that I was going to have to set an alarm and try my hand at walking on.

So, the day that I decided to walk on and play Torrey Pines I set my alarm for 3 am, got ready in a flash, packed some snacks and water, and headed to the course by 3:40 am in order to hop in line (and hope that I could find somewhere to grab coffee and breakfast before playing).

I arrived around 4 am, in total darkness. My driver almost did not want me to leave the shuttle because he saw no signs of life at the almost deserted golf course. I told him that I was sure I knew what I was doing, threw my bag over my shoulder, and started walking down the path towards what I thought was the clubhouse with a light on in a hallway. As I got closer, I could start to make out other golfers waiting in line looking to grab a morning time.

As I got in line it became clear to me that everyone was either a local, a regular at this tee time game, or from the sunny state of California with this course on their must-play list. When word got out that I had traveled across the country for this experience, I quickly made friends with the 6 golfers who were ahead of me in line. They all eagerly welcomed me to what they called the ‘Sweat Line’…the line you stand in sweating it out until your name is called for a tee time. Everyone in line knew that my preference was the South course and was rooting for me as we all waited anxiously.

Finally around 5 am the pro shop opened and I was able to put my name on the singles list and was told by the starter that my chances looked good. Phew! Now that I was on the list it was time to look around the pro shop! I knew that at the end of my round, I would be back to purchase some memorabilia and buy some presents for fellow golf fanatics!

As the sun started to come up, I was able to get breakfast directly on-site at the ‘The Grill at Torrey Pines’ (connected with the Lodge). After I finished, I heard my name over the loudspeaker to report to the starter! I had secured a 9 am time on the South Course! The green fees for the South course are $220.

After hitting the range, putting, and using the short game area it was finally time! I was so excited to start this journey and was so fortunate to be paired with 3 individuals who I had already met in the ‘Sweat Line’. For me, all the stars were lining up!

My day at Torrey Pines was absolutely FANTASTIC! The course was in magnificent condition from tee to green. In addition, I was paired with 3 of the nicest playing partners I’ve ever been matched with! It was a dream foursome! Not only were we all walk-ons but we were all around the same age and were looking forward to a great day at Torrey! We were fortunate enough to have one member of our group bring along a Go-Pro and record memorable moments on the course…added bonus!

As I teed the ball up on hole #1 I could feel my heart pounding with excitement in my chest! I decided to play a mix of Green and White tees to make the yardage about 6400. As I took my driver out on hole #1 and teed the ball up, the Tiger Challenge had officially begun! I started the day with a par on the first hole which quickly settled my nerves and allowed me to start enjoying this beautiful day and experience. One of my favorite holes all day was #3 (par 3 signature hole), the tee shot is downhill with the Pacific Ocean as the backdrop, absolutely breathtaking. Personally, I hit a 9-iron into the green, left it short, and then got up and down for a par (feeling on top of the world)!

After making the turn at #9, the entire sky was peppered with paragliders soaring overhead. The views from Torrey are ‘out of this world’! The course continued to surprise me with tricky greens, unforgiving greenside bunkers, and fairways that required precision. I know that I am early in my Tiger Challenge, but this experience is going to be hard to top!

Approaching #18 I could not wait to walk in the same fairway and play the same hole that Tiger did when he won the US Open in 2008 basically on one leg! As I played the hole, I could remember back to watching Tiger on television clutching his left knee and beating Rocco Mediate in a playoff. Of course, I had to take a photo of the plaque commemorating Tiger’s unbelievable victory!

While I know I have only played one course from my list of 17, this experience was AMAZING! If you have the opportunity to visit La Jolla you must put Torrey Pines on your itinerary! I look forward to heading back in the near future to play the North Course and check that championship site off my Tiger Challenge List!

Looking forward to reporting back on other courses and experiences on my journey!

See you in the fairway!

Courtney